Dwight wheeler



(No Model.)

B. WHEELER. METHOD OF FINISHING METALLIG SURFACES. No. 437,468. Patented Sept. 30, 1890.

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I UN TED STATES.

PATENT, OFFICE- DWIGHT WHEELER, or BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE ACME SHEAR COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

METHOD OF FINISHING METALLIC SURFACES.--

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 437,468, dated September 30, 1890.

Application filed July 28, 1890. Serial No. 360,204- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, DWIGHT WHEELER, a citizen of theUnited States, residingat Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefullmproveinents in Methods of Finishing Metallic Surfaces; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention has for its object to devise a novel method of finishing the surface of metallic articles-for example, scissors or shears as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification,in which Figure 1 is an elevation of an article, in this instance a pair of shears, a portion of which is indicated as ground smooth in the usual manner and the other portion as left rough as it comes from the molds; and Fig. 2 is asimilar view showing the roughened portions of the article finished smooth, as by mynovel method.

It is bf course well understood that it is common in the arts to japan metallic articles to produce a perfectly-black finish, and that there are other varnishes or sizes which when baked upon polished metallic articles in the same manner as ordinary japan impart thereto various bronze shades of finish, and thatit is common to varnish metallic articles and apply metallic powders thereto, and that the metallic powders are frequently mixed with varnishes and sizes and applied with abrush. None of these modes of finish, however, are applicable to the finish of articles that re quire to be handled in use. The various japans are produced cheaply and are looked upon as cheap by the trade, and are objected to for that reason. They are, in brief, common, and therefore not acceptable. It is, furthermore, wholly impracticable to finish this class of articles with metallic powders in any of the ordinary modes, as it is impossible to make the finish permanent.

The object of my invention is to produce a neat and attractive metallic finish difiering in appearance from the various finishes heretofore produced by plating which shall be perfectly hard and adapted to stand long-continued use without flaking or wearing 0d, and which may be produced at a mere fraction of the expense of aplated finish. I have experimented quite extensively with a view of attaining this result, and have succeeded in producing a finish having the appearance of smooth unpolished metal, which is thoroughly durable, which meets the requirements of the trade admirably and met with instant success the moment it was placed upon the market, and which can be produced at comparatively slight expense.

I take the article just as it comes from the molds and dip it, or dip that portion which it is desired to finish,iri What is commonly known as gold size, bronze japan, 85c. This size is a mixture of oils and gums and is a wellknown article of commerce. After dipping the article it is allowed to drip for a moment to allow surplus size to run off. It is then baked at a temperature of 200 or 300 Fahrenheit, more or less, for a period ofthree or four hours, more or less, it being impossible to specify an exact temperature or an exact length of time required for the baking, it being of course well understood by those familiar with the art of japanning that too high a degree of heat will ruin the japan, and that if the temperature is too low a greater length of time is required and the results are less satisfactory. It is suflicient to say that the article is baked until the size has nearly set or hardened, but has not quite hardened, the size being sticky, or, as it is termed in the art, tacky, when removed from the oven. In this sticky condition and without any delayI apply any of the well-known metallic powders of commercefor example, silver, gold, or bronze powder. This powder may be ap: plied in any suitable manner, as by a brush, although in practice I preferably apply it with a chamois-skin, putting on all the size will hold and rubbing off the excess of powder. The article is then placed in the oven a second time and baked for an hour or more. The effect of this second baking is to temporarily soften the size again and cause the coating of size and powder to flow slightly, after which the heat expels the remaining oil from the size and hardens it completely. The articles metallic surfaces, the same consisting in dipping the articles as they come fromv the molds into a suitable size, then baking the article until the size has nearly hardened, but removing it from the oven while still sticky, then applyingall the metallic powder that the size will hold, rubbing off the excess, and finally baking a second time until the finish is thoroughly hardened.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

DWIGHT WHEELER. Witnesses:

A. M. WOOSTER,

ARLEY I. MUNSON. 

